Book Review — When I Was Yours by Samantha Towle

“Please don’t give up on me… on us.”

From the moment I read the blurb, I knew I had to read this book because I NEEDED ANSWERS!!!! I desperately wanted to know what had happened to this couple. Why were they torn apart? What would happen to them once they got back together? I read this book in one non-stop sitting because I just didn’t want to stop reading! Needless to say, after finishing it, I got all the answers and really enjoyed the book!!

Here’s the blurb. Once you read it, I’m sure you’ll understand exactly why I wanted to read this book…

“Marry me.”
“What?” I stared back at him, unblinking.
He moved closer, taking my face in his hands. “I love you, Evie. I look into the future, and the only thing I see clearly is you. Marry me.”

What’s an eighteen-year-old girl who was madly in love with her nineteen-year-old boyfriend say?

Of course, I said yes.

Twenty-four hours later, I married Adam Gunner at a Vegas chapel to the sounds of “Livin’ on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi. Not the best omen. I get that now.

Then, exactly one week later, I left him. I walked out, leaving behind my wedding ring, annulment papers, and my heart, and he never knew why.

I haven’t seen him since. Not in ten long years.

Now, he’s here, standing before me. Looking at me with nothing but hurt and hatred in his eyes, he wants answers.

Answers I can’t give.

I wanted those answers too!!!

Because of the nature of this storyline, there’s very little I can tell you without giving anything away. The story is told is alternating POVs and it goes back and forth between the past when they first met and fell in love, and the present day which is a decade later when they meet for the first time since she left him.

If you’ve read many second chance romances, I’ll be honest and tell you that this one is pretty predictable. I correctly guessed the reason she left quite early on and the driving force to the book was more (for me) about seeing their reunion than actually getting answers. I guess I wished that her reason had been something more… different?… but I don’t always read to be surprised. As long as the journey with the characters is well-written and I feel connected to them, then I’m happy — and this book did have that. I really enjoyed Adam and Evie’s story from their beautiful start, through the pain of their separation, and into the healing of their reunion, even though admittedly, there were definitely times when I was frustrated with them both. That being said, what they’d each gone through respectively was really rough so I do try to be a little understanding of what reactions people might have during extreme circumstances.

Because of the way the past and present storylines are entwined, these characters are constantly going through something — whether it’s the anticipation over them meeting, or the swoon of first love, or the pain and confusion of betrayal, or the anger and longing of finally being reunited, the pent up tension that the separation built, or the love that never stopped even throughout all the pain…

“I knew I wasn’t over her — I’d have to be stupid to ever think I was — but I didn’t realize how badly I’d want her again. The urge to touch her and taste her was overwhelming. Just breathing the same air as her was fucking killing me. Standing there, staring at her, I was eighteen all over again…

I never could get enough of her. And no matter what she’s done to me, whether I love her or hate her, I will always want her.”

Rating: 4 stars. Standalone romance.